Being an "influencer"!

Some months ago, my wife and I were spending an overnight with our dear friends in Melun, south of Paris. I honestly cannot recall the context of what I am about to share, but we ended up talking about this modern phenomenon named "influencers"! I asked Jonathan how one became an"influencer", and he replied (not quite verbatim!): "One chooses a catchy name like, for example 'CrazyRev'. Then one posts a blog that people read; and one is an influencer!"

Now, I don't know exactly how accurate my young friend's answer was/is, but I found it interesting - and not just because of the personal application! You see, I realised that I had discovered the 21st century way to spell "disciple of Jesus" (okay, it's only recently that my thinking has moved in this direction!). That new spelling is "influencer"!

Permit me to explain. In the book of the Acts of the apostles, Dr Luke records these words of the Lord Jesus, just before He ascended to return to the Father: "So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”  And when He had said this, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight." (Acts 1:6-9).

Now, for many years I have pointed out that to be an evangelist is to receive a specific gifting of the Lord Jesus, for the equipping of the believers, and the building up of the body of the Christ. (see Eph.4:11-12). However, being a witness is a command of the Lord Jesus - to all of His disciples; and that includes you and me (if, of course, you are one of His!). The only question is: "Am I a good witness, or am I a bad witness?" But make no mistake - if you and I are claiming to be His disciples, then we are His witnesses.

Some will be familiar with the poem written by Annie Johnston Flint:

"Christ has no hands but our hands, to do His work today; He has no feet but our feet, to lead men in His way.

He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died; He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

We are the only Bible the careless world will read; we are the sinner's gospel; we are the scoffer's creed.

We are the Lord's last message, written in word and deed. What if the type is crooked; what if the print is blurred?!

What if our hands are busy with other work than His? What if our feet are walking where sin’s allurement is?

What if our tongue is speaking of things His lips would spurn? How can we hope to help Him or welcome His return?"

"We are the only Bible the careless world will read; we are the sinner's gospel; we are the scoffer's creed." Do you realise what that is saying? I suggest that it is saying that, by our words and deeds, we are influencing others!

So, perhaps I am, indeed, an "influencer" - and so, if you claim to be a disciple of Jesus, are you! Actually, no matter who you are, if you interact with others, you are influencing them - and they are influencing you! As my late paternal grandmother - a woman with barely any formal education, but tons of common sense and homespun philosophy - was often heard to say:"Show me your company, and I'll tell you your character." 

May the influence of each one of us be positive - and especially if we claim to be Jesus' disciples!